CIMM – Role of IRCC in the Human Trafficking File – February 7, 2024

Key Facts and Figures

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) role in human trafficking is very specific, focused on the protection of victims, and differs from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) roles, which are focused on enforcement.

IRCC’s anti-human trafficking activities are focused on the protection of foreign national victims of human trafficking. It does so by issuing Temporary Resident Permits to victims and their dependents in Canada and by conducting administrative investigations to identify trafficking facilitators and victims and help disrupt networks of facilitated human trafficking.
IRCC collaborates with two enforcement partners who may refer suspected victims of human trafficking to IRCC: the CBSA and the RCMP.
- The CBSA’s role is focused on enforcement and prosecution for offenses found in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (such as section 118), where the type of acts that constitute human trafficking are defined in the context of the coming into Canada of foreign nationals.
- The RCMP’s role also relates to enforcement and prosecution and is focused on the Criminal Code, which defines the type of acts that constitute an offence related to human trafficking in Canada.

IRCC’s role is not related to prevention, although the Department can detect victims through its administrative investigations, which may help contribute to the prevention efforts related to human trafficking.